Midnapore, March 31: Vidyasagar University vice-chancellor Anandadeb Mukherjee today joined his office at the university campus here, putting at rest speculation that he had tendered his resignation in protest against SFI activists heckling him last Friday and preventing him from entering his office.

The SFI activists had called a strike to condemn the US-led war against Iraq.

Mukherjee had left the campus immediately after the incident, after calling up the chancellor, Governor Viren J. Shah, and higher education minister Satyasadhan Chakraborty.

District SFI leaders today met Mukherjee and tendered an unconditional apology for Friday’s incident. Mukherjee issued a statement saying there was no problem in him functioning as the vice-chancellor as the students had apologised.

“I was prevented from entering my office by some students on Friday who were on a strike. I was hurt, as the students prevented me from discharging my duties. I had informed the chancellor and the higher education minister of the incident as I felt that it was better for me not to work as the vice-chancellor,” Mukherjee said in his statement.

“But now I don’t feel any problem as the students have apologised for the incident. I also informed the chancellor and the higher education minister of today’s developments and made it clear that there is no problem in me continuing my job at the university,” Mukherjee explained. He also participated in a rally today with university teachers, employees and students protesting the US war on Iraq.

Two years ago also Mukherjee had left the campus after being heckled by SFI activists. He had refused to attend his office at the university campus here and had been performing his duty from his Calcutta residence. He returned to the campus only after state SFI leaders forced local leaders to tender an apology.